Ford Recalls over 2.2 Million Vehicles Due To Potential Hazard
Ford is recalling over 2.2 million Explorer cars world wide because of a component that may pose a risk to safety. Following the NHTSA’s receipt of the safety concerns, the recall was announced by federal safety authorities on Monday. It’s possible that poor construction caused the metal component running along the left and right sides of the front windshield’s A-pillar trim retaining clamps to become misaligned, causing the trim to come off.
About 93,000 Ford Explorer cars are being recalled in Canada and the owners of those vehicles will be asked to bring their vehicles to local Ford dealerships for repair.
Certain Ford Explorer models from the 2011 to 2019 model years are included in the recall.
According to company-provided documents, “improper assembly or repair” was the reason why the A-pillar trim clips on some of these cars were not correctly fastened. Thus, there’s a chance that these trim pieces will come loose while you’re driving, endangering other motorists and raising the possibility of a collision.
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Beginning on March 13, owners will get notification by mail. They will also be told to bring their car to a Ford or Lincoln dealer so that the A-pillar external trim may be examined and, if necessary, changed at no cost to them. In the document provided by NHTSA, it is not stated how this faulty part was discovered and if any accidents have been caused by faulty components.
Understanding Recalls and why do they occur?
Automobile safety is a paramount concern for both manufacturers and consumers. While advancements in technology and rigorous testing have significantly enhanced vehicle safety over the years, safety recalls remain a crucial aspect of the automotive industry. While consumers expect to receive perfectly functioning and top operational vehicle while providing best safety standards on the market, many times, this is simply not provided. But why? How can that happen during all the rigorous testings, engineering and homogenization where safety standard companies approve the car to be safe?
The answer is not that simple! While every car manufacturer has to undergo standardized test procedures that are required by individual state or country, all of car manufacturers have their own group and testing standards that are not regulated. Car manufacturers can develop their own quality standards and testing procedures.
While a brand new car concept takes time to be researched and developed, it is often rushed due to time restriction and exclusivity of the project. Manufacturing of cars is a very precise and budget restricted undergoing. One or two mistakes in engineering or economical calculation can jeopardize the entire project. The entire research and development stage has to run like a precise clock work.
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No time for errors, no time for expansive parts that will undermine the profitability of the product. A often “dog chasing the tail” scenario that asks for alternatives and compromise between better product and more profit. The sweet spot is often found in the middle where quality is just good enough to meet the standards, where customer expectations are met and where parts hold the warranty period provided and where profits are desirable.
In the car manufacturing business, it is often said that engineers and technicians don’t build cars but managers and estimators do. This approach of selling products for top profit is the reason why some recalls happen. A rushed research and development of certain components, or part manufacturers skipping on providing promissed quality is often the contributor to recalls happening.
Research and Development of Cars
A car consists of tens of thousands small or larger parts that all need to be precisely engineered, manufactured, tested, assembled and again tested while operating together in all possible weather, static and dynamic situations.
Think of all weather conditions we have just in Canada! How does a car need to perform during harsh winter, ice and snow or during high humidity and heat wave or during heavy rain fall and high winds! And this is just Canadian weather, how about monsoon rain, winds up to 200 km/h, Sahara sand, temperatures above and bellow Canadian usual climate?
All these conditions need to be tested for every component that will ever be installed in a car. On top of that comes homogenization test like crash test where all parts need to perform well according safety standards. Imagine a plastic or metal part being projected through the passenger cabin at a speed of 300 km/h while an airbag is deployed! What damage can it cause to passengers? Not a single part is allowed to be projected like that in any situation.
There are endless scenarios that need to be taken in account and tested for, from bumper to bumper. Research and development is extremely costly undergoing, every extension of the project can cost millions and therefore jeopardize the profit margin. While on the other hand, every vehicle must perform well and have to provide top safety for passengers and pedestrians.
Car buyers look for a good looking car, a car that will provide top safety while not braking the bank with initial or cost of maintenance. Car buyers do not necessary think of: is the car water proof or does it come with 4 wheels? This is a obvious expectation.
The manufacturers have the need to provide a safe, modern, well performing car that will sell for more than it costs to manufacture it. Manufacturers do not necessary think of: will the car be costly to repair after the warranty period expires and what will be resale value after couple of years.
Manufacturers and consumers need to do their do diligence when manufacturing and buying cars.
Do mistakes happen? The amount of recalls tell the story.
